Proposed legislation will push health and safety leaders to examine supply chains well beyond their own worksites
A new federal bill introduced in June 2026 is set to significantly expand the compliance obligations of Canadian employers, and health and safety leaders may be among those most affected.
Bill C-35, the Ban on Importing Goods Made with Forced Labour Act, received its first reading in the House of Commons on June 12, 2026. If passed, the legislation would give the Minister of Foreign Affairs the authority to ban goods produced wholly or in part by forced labour from entering Canada, building on the country's existing forced labour import framework enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Lavanga Wijekoon, a shareholder and attorney at Littler Mendelson, a global labour and employment law firm, says the bill represents a meaningful escalation of Canada's existing commitments.
"This is an enhancement by the Canadian government of its existing forced labor import ban," he told Canadian Occupational Safety.
Wijekoon outlined five core elements of Bill C-35. The Minister of Foreign Affairs can establish a list of high-risk goods. Importers of listed goods would face enhanced supply chain tracing requirements. The government would gain authority to deem certain goods prohibited following investigation. The bill creates stronger coordination mechanisms among federal authorities. And it introduces a cost recovery model, making...
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